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County Commission to take final budget vote

SARASOTA COUNTY — The Sarasota County Commission will take its final vote on the 2012 fiscal year budget and millage rates after public hearings Sept. 26 at the Administration Center in Venice.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. The center is located at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.

Members of the public will have three minutes each to address the commissioners.

The County Commission on a first reading Sept. 12 approved no change in the general fund millage rate from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2012. That rate is 3.0607 mills. Including the debt service and mosquito millage rates, the total millage rate is also unchanged at 3.3384 mills. One mill is the equivalent of $1,000 of assessed property value.

The total tentative budget for fiscal year 2012 is $860,474,628.

The Sarasota County Property Appraiser Office had certified the taxable value for Sarasota County property as of July 1 at $39.6 billion, down from $42.1 billion in the previous year.

Among the budget cutbacks for the new fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, are a reduction in library hours of service and purchases of new materials, as well as discontinuation of the inter-library loan program, saving $450,774; a reduction in small-scale recreation programs and events and a deferral of minor maintenance and equipment replacement in the Parks and Recreation Department, saving $257,458; and a 5% reduction in primary care services for the Sarasota County Health Department, saving $148,395.